Switch-frog.



. W. KELLER. SWITCH FROG.

APPLICATION IILBD JULY 25, 1913.

1,093,860. Patented Apr. 21, 191

Witnesses Inventor M Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM KELLER, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

SWITCH-FROG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed J u1y 25, 1913.

Patented Apr. 21, 1914.

Serial No. 781,234.

' aforesaid, the main line rails will be unbroken at the frog.

Another object of the invention is'to provide a novel means forelevating the wheel of a passing car over one of the main line rails atthe frog.

The invention aims to provide novel means for operatively connectingtheseveral movable elements of the structure.

It is within the scope of the invention to improve generally and toenhance the utility of, devices of that type to which the presentinvention appertains.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made wit-hin thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the drawings :-Figure 1 shows the invention in plan; Flg. 2 1s atransverse section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview of the elements which 00-: operate at that portion of the structurewhere the frog commonly is located; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of thehead which is carried by one end of the movable portion of the leadrail; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a portion of one of the mainline rails and the spacing block carried thereby.

In the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 indicates the switch tiesand the numeral 2 indicates the stand ties.

One of the main line rails is shown at 3 and the other main line rail isshown at 4, the main line rail 4 being continuous and unbroken at thepoint of intersection be tween the said main line rail and thecooperating siding rail 11. The lead rail is shown at 5 and terminatesin a movable switch point 6 which, as shown in Fig. 2 extends upwardlyabove the upper edge of the main line rail 3, the switch point beingbeveled at its free, pointed end, as shown at 7.

One ofthe siding rails is denoted by the reference character 8 andterminates in a movable switch point 9 located outside of the main linerail 4, the switch point 6 being located between the rails 3 and 4and-adjacent the rail 8. The movable switch point 9 upstands above theadjacent main line rail 4, and is beveled at its free end as indicatedat 10. The other siding rail is shown at 11 and terminates in a movableextension 12.

is a base plate 14 upon which the extension 12 of the siding rail 11 ismounted to slide. The base plate 14 supports a guard rail 15 Mountedupon certain of the switch ties 1 it located inside the main rail 4.Another 1 guard rail 16 is located outside of the main line rail 4 andextends upon the base plate 14.

Located opposite to the guard rail 16 and rail 17.

Secured to the outer face of the main line rail 4 is a filler block 18which is shown in clearest detail in Fig. 5. The filler block 18disposed adjacent the siding rail 8 is a guard v is ofapproximatelywedge shape in horig" zontal section, and the end of themovable extension 12 of the siding rail 11 is adapted to move in closeproximity to the beveled face 19 of the filler block 18.

The lead rail 5 terminates in a movable:

rail 21, the upper edge of which is elevated above the upper edge of themain line rail ,4. Secured to the extremity of the movable rail 21 is ahead 22 which is shown in detail in Fig. 4. The head'22 is offset on oneside as shown at 23, to receive the end of the movable rail 21, the railand the head 22 being connected by means of bolts 24 or other attachingelements adapted to a like end. The extremity of the head 22 is cutiaway as indicated at 25, to form a beveled side face 26, adapted to fitup against the inner edge of the main line rail 4, and to form a flange27 which is adapted to overhang the upper edge of the main line rail 4.

Located at any suitable point is a stand 28 carrying ashaft 29supporting pivotally a rotatable element 30. A connection 31 unites therotatable element 30 with the movable extension 12 of the siding rail11.

Another connection 32 which, like the connection 31 preferably is rigid,is pivotally secured at its outer end to the rotatable element 30, theinner end of the connection 32 terminating in a gooseneck 33 which islink 34 being pivoted to one arm of a bell crank 35 fulcrumed asindicated at 36 upon one of the stand ties 2. A rod 37 is pivoted to theother arm of the bell crank 35, the inner end of the rod 37 beingpivotally connected with a brace 38, united with the switch points 6 and9. A pit-man 39 is pivoted to the brace 38 and engages a crank 40 formedupon a shaft 41 provided with a handle 42, the shaft 41 being journaledfor rotation in bearings 43 supported by the stand ties 2.

Presupposing that a train is passing along the main line rails 3 and 4in the direction indicated by the arrow A, or in a direction opposite tothat indicated by the arrow A, the parts being disposed as shown in Fig.1, it is obvious that the rail 4 is unbroken at that portion of thestructure which in a standard construction represents the frog. If thefree end of the handle 42- is swung toward the main line rail 4, theshaft 41 will be actuated, the crank 40 through the instrumentality ofthe pitman 39 actuating the brace 38. When the brace is actuated in themanner above described, the switch point 6 will move over into abutmentwith the side face of the main line rail 3 and the switch point 9 willmove over into abutment with the outer side face of the main line rail4. When a brace 38 is actuated in the manner hereinbefore described, therod 37 will move, along with the brace, and tilt the bell crank 35 onits fulcrum 36. When the bell crank 35 is tilted, the rod 34 will beactuated, the same rotating the member 30 upon its pivotal support 29.By the rotation of the member 30, the connections 31 and '32 will beactuated. The connection 31 will slide the movable rail 12 toward themain line rail 4 until the end face of the rail 12 is in close proximityto the side face 19 of the filler block 18, the inner edge of the rail12 being alined with the side face 20 of the filler block. Theconnection 32 will swing the head 22 and themovable rail 21 until thebeveled face 26 of the head 22 abuts against or is in close proximityto, the inner edge of the main line rail 4 and at the same time, theflange, 27 of the head 22 will overlap the main line rail 4, the inneredge of the flange '27 being lined-up with the face 20 of the fillerblock 18 and with the inner edge of the movable rail 12. Presupposingthat the parts are positioned as above described and that a train ismoving in the direction of the arrow B, the wheel which is adjacent themain line rail 3 may be elevated by the beveled end 7 of the switchpoint 6 and the wheel which is adjacent the main line rail 4 will beelevated by a raised, bevel-ended lifting block 44 which is mounted uponthe stand ties 2 inside of the main line rail 4. In this manner, thewheels will traverse the switch points 6 and 9, the block 44 serving toelevate the corresponding wheel, so that the same may pass over theupper edge of the main line rail 4. One wheel will traverse the switchpoint 9 and the siding rail 8, and the other wheel will traverse theswitch point 6, the lead rail 5, the movable rail 21 and the head 22.Owing to the fact that the rail 21 at its upper edge is elevated abovethe main line rail 4, the tread of the wheel will roll along the top ofthe flange 27 and pass onto the movable rail 12. Presupposing that atrain is moving along the siding in the direction of the arrow O, onewheel will traverse the siding rail 8 and the switch point 9. Owing tothe fact that the upper edge of the switch point 9 is elevated above theupper edge of the adjacent main line rail 4, the flange of the saidwheel will be transferred to the inside of the rail 4, the beveled end10 of the switch point 9 serving to ease the wheel down onto the mainline rail 4 after the flange of the wheel is located inside of the saidrail. The other wheel, traversing the siding rail 11 will be elevated bythe movable extension 12, and the tread of the wheel will be depositedon top of the flange 27, the flange of the wheel being elevatedsuiiiciently to pass over the main line rail 4. Thence, the wheel' willtraverse the rail 21, the lead rail 5 and the switch point 6, thebeveled end 7 of which will serve to ease the wheel down onto the mainline rail 3.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the invention hereindisclosed, comprises a structure whereby a train may be shuntedreadilyfrom the main line to the siding, without opening the main linerail, adjacent what may-be denominated the frog, although, in fact, thepresent invention dispenses entirely with the use of a frog.

The device herein disclosed is of few parts and is simple inconstruction. Any one of the essential parts of the structure may bereplaced readily, when worn or broken, without disorganizing those partsof the device which are intact.

Although the specific means shown for actuating the rails 12 and 21 andthe switch points 6 and 9 is a desirable and useful one, it is to beunderstood that any other suitable means may be employed for thispurpose. The block 18 is of importance, since it serves as a brace forthe rail 4 and also renders unnecessary a beveling of the end of therail 12. The rail 12 may be cut ofl at a right angle at its free end andthe block l8jwill tend to act as a bridge between the free end of therail 12 and the rail 4.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is In a device ofthe class described, a main line rail; a siding rail including a movableextension; a lead rail including a movable end portion adapted tooverlap the main line rail; a fixed filler located between the end ofthe movable extension and the main line 15 rail; and means for movingthe extension and the movable portion of the lead rail ifirito alinementWith each other and with the ler. In testimony that I claim theforegoing as 20 my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in thepresence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM KELLER. Witnesses:

Mrs. FRANK KISER, LOUISE ZIEGLER.

coplel of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Waehington, D. G.

